Job Application Resources for Law Students

When attorneys choose a practice area, they often do not give a lot of thought to their futures.
Some attorneys choose corporate because they like working on business-related matters.
Other at...
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Introduction
The purpose of this article is to provide you with insight as to whether or not you should go in-house. Many attorneys claim that going in-house was their best career move. Conversely,...
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Question: I’m a new law school graduate. I’ve applied repeatedly to recruiters to see if they can help me find my first attorney position, yet I either don’t get a response from recruiters or get a rejection letter. I have strong law school credentials, so I don’t understand why recruiters aren’t interested in me. Why is this happening? READ MORE >

It only takes 30 seconds to spot a typo. It only takes 30 seconds to find that a candidate has not listed his/her GPA or class rank. It only takes 30 seconds to see the names of five firms over a three-year period. These reasons are among the many that support the theory ''A hiring administrator will only look at your resume 30 seconds before he/she makes a decision.'' While it is somewhat of an antagonistic approach, perhaps you should look at it as the individual is really looking for a reason not to hire you. Unfortunately, with the high number of resumes that inundate hiring administrators' desks on a daily basis, it is the only way to go about it. In other words, do not give them a reason to immediately reject you. One very important point candidates miss is that leaving a recruiter with a lot of questions is a very good reason to reject you. Therefore, do not skip over a job you're not proud of, do not leave off a GPA that makes you wince, and do not forget to have an entry for the summer after your second year of law school. This only leaves the recruiter with the impression that you have something to hide. Therefore, it is a potential waste of valuable time. All of this leads to the importance of what you do during your summers and what this says about you. READ MORE >

Ah, summertime: a season that evokes images of picnics, family vacations to the beach, and lounging by the pool. Although some associate summer with a decrease in work, our experience is that the summer can be the most jam packed period for associates. In addition to the normal workload, summer associates are everywhere, begging for attention and lunch companions. And, if you are in the midst of the interview process during the summer months, you may find summer the most difficult season to get through the process. READ MORE >

Your first job interview may be with the law firm's managing partner, but don't count on it. Depending upon the law firm's size and the job you're seeking, you may be much more likely to speak with the personnel director. These initial contacts are also referred to as legal administrators, recruiting officers, directors of human resources, and various other monikers. Regardless of their titles, these gatekeepers share the ability to take you to the next level or return you to the street.

We spoke with several key recruiting people from law offices of all sizes across the country and asked them to give us their perspectives about these matters: READ MORE >